The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-11-04

that, in quantity, it had been some
thing more.
Peter McGrath sat close beside the
cooking stove holding Number Ten, a
girl-baby, who was asleep and rocking
Number Eleven, who was trying to
wake up, in the low, implanted wood
en- cradle. He eve took his eyes off
Number Eleven; he could not bear to
lookaround and see the nine devouring
the corn-meal SO hungrily. Perhaps
McGrath could not, and certainly he
would nct,-he was SO OBSTINATE
have told why he felt so reproached
by the scene. He had felt very guilty
for many weeks.
Twenty, yes, q hundred, times a
day he looked in a dazed way at his
big hands, and they reproached him
too that they had no work.
"Where is our smooth, broad.axe
handler" asked the fingers, "and why
do not the wide chips hy?"
He was ashamed too. every time he
rose up. SO tall and strong, withnoth-
ing to do. and eleven children and his
wife ilext door to starvation, but il
he had been asked to describe his feel
ings, he would merely have growled
out angrily something against old
John Pontiac.
"Iou'N take your sup now, Peter?"
asked Mrs. McGrath, Offering him the
biggest of the yellow bowls. He look.
ed up then, first at her forlorn face,
then at the pot. Number Nine was
diligently scraping off some streaks OF
mush that had run down the outside;
Numbers Eight, Seven. Six and Five
were looking respectfully into the pot;
Numbers -Four, Three, Two and One
were watching the pot, the steaming
bowl, and their father at the same
time. Peter McGrath was very hun
gry.
yourself had better eat, Mary
Ann" he said. ON be having mine
after it's cooler"
Mrs. McGrath dipped more than a
third OF the bowlful back into the pot,
and ate the rest with much satisiao-
ton. The numerals watched her anx-
iously but resignedly.
Sure lt'n be cold entirely, Peter
dear" she said, land the warmth is
so comforting. Give me little Norah
now. the darlintl and be after eating
your supper"
She had ladled out the last OF the
mush, and the pot was being scraped
inside earnestly by Nine. Eight, Seven
and Six. Peter took the bowl, and
looked at his children.
The earlier number were observing
him with peGuliar sympathy, putting
themselves in his place, as it were,
possessing the bowlfui in Imagination;
the others now moved their spoons
absent mindedly around III the pot,
brought them empty.+o their mouths,
mechanically, now and again, sucked
them more or less. and still stared
steadily at their father.
His inner walls felt glued together,
yet indescribabIy hollow; the smell Of
the mush went up into his nostrlls,
and pungentIy provoked his palate
and throat. He was furnishing.
"Troth, then, Mary Ann" he said,
"there's no hunger in me tonight.
Sure, l wish the childer wouldn't leave
me the trouble of eating it. Come
then, all OF ye."
The nine came promptly to his call
There were just twenty-five large
spoonfuls in the bowl; each child re
ceived two; the remaining tour wen,
to the four youngest. Then the bow
was skilfullv scraped by Number Nine
after which Number Seven took it
whirled q cup of water artfully round
its interior, and with this put q fine
finish on his meal.
Peter McGra'h then searched
thoughttully in his trousers pockets
turning their corners up, gettin!
pinches o fdust out of their remotest
recesses; he put his blouse pocke'
through a similar process. He found
no pockets in his well-patched over
coat when he took it down, but pu-
sued the dust into its lining, and sepa
rated it carefully from little dabs O
wool. Then he put the collection in
to an extremely old, black clay pipe
lifted a coal in with his fingers, ans
took his supper.
It would be absurd to assert that
on this continent, a strong man coult
be SO pooras Peter, unless he had don
something very wrong or very foolish
Peter McGrath was, In truth. out O
work because he had committed al
Outrage on Economics. He had beel
guilty OF the enormous error ofmisun
~derstanding, and trying to set a
naught in his ownpersop. til 'immuta
BILE law Of Supply and Demand.
Fancying that a first-class newer ii
q timber shanty had an inalienabl
right to receive at least thirty dollar
q month, when the Demand was onl,
strong enough to yield him twenty
two dollars q month, Peter had refus
ed to engage at che beginning of TIL
winter.
Now, Mr.. McGrath, you're maxim
q mistake" said his usual employer
old John Pontiac. "I'm Offering vo
the best wages going, mind that
There's mighty little squared timbe
coming out this winter"
Pm ready and willing to wori
boss, but I'm ct to arm Thirty dollars
surely"
$50 You are. so you are. In goo
times, neiehbor, and I'd be glad
men, wages were forty. That coul
only be with trade active, and a fin
season for all of us; but couldn'
taks ont q raft this winter, and pa
what you ask"
"Td work extra hard. I'm nc
afeard OF work"
':Not You, Peter. There never We